EQ Then IQ Now
by NCISprobie2
Summary: Title inspired by song title "That Was Then, This Is Now" by Josh Wilson. After the whole mining case, Paige wants to go to a concert but Walter isn't ready for the music world. A fixer-upper story with a different take on the final scene in 4x17. Rated T for minor adult theme at the end


**A.N. This little one-shot popped into my mind during work. I guess I'm also in the mood for writing fix-up stories. I do not own Scorpion, the characters and some of the quotes. What I do own is the plot for changing the end of "Dumpster Fire".**

**Franxine: I appreciate your passion for defending Walter since he has been given conflicting advice about dilemmas involving the world of emotions. Please, take a breath; I want to forgive you for your comment, however I'm struggling. How much did you read of "Scorpion Season 3 Thoughts"? "Scorpion Season 3 Thoughts" was started back in April 2017, when Season 3 was still airing. So how does part of your comment on my story make sense when Happy quit in Season 4? Yes, I know Scorpion was cancelled since I found out through the Forum here on Fanfiction. So, the reasoning behind your comment falls flat since my comments on Happy were mainly about what happened during the windmill episode in Season 3. I do appreciate you saying I'm a great writer since I've only been brainstorming and writing stories for less than three years.**

Today incidents were interesting alright. Paige saw her genius co-workers act like normal people during a case. Her co-workers relied on herself and Cabe to solve today's case at the mine. The part of the case which peaked Paige's interest most was not really part of the case, but part of her personal life.

Walter, her boyfriend, said he would be open to going to a concert which featured "Moon River," when he was down in the mine. Hearing Walter say that made Paige smile and set her heart a flutter. On the way back to the garage, she began looking up concerts which featured "Moon River". She found one artist and looked around for Walter.

Paige found Walter in the back of the garage, looking over his old blueprints for the rocket he made a few years back. "Oh, hey," she said which interrupted Walter's attention on the blueprints. "Good news. I just read online a singer I love is, um, performing standards tonight at a great little club in Laurel Canyon. We could get a sitter for Ralph," Paige said with some enthusiasm. Although, she was nervous how her boyfriend would react to an event he may not remember wanting to go to.

Walter gave Paige a small smile. "Well, uh, that is good news Paige," Walter began. "Except, I don't think I want to go out tonight."

Paige noticed the low tone in Walter's voice; it also sounded like he was nervous saying what he said. She was concerned about what was going on inside Walter's head. "Walter, what's going on," Paige asked. Paige wanted to ease the tension that was in the air.

Walter moved from his chair behind the desk. He began walking back and forth. "Do you remember what happened with the whole island accident and trying to get off," Walter asked Paige. How could she forget? The tension between her and Walter on the island led to a night full of love once they got back to Los Angeles. However, she also remembered telling Walter it was okay to allow his EQ to drop for the "greater good" for finding a way off the island. Paige may not be as smart as her genius co-workers, but she was intelligent in her own way. She had a feeling those events with his EQ is what Walter was talking about. "Are you referring back to your alleged drop in EQ," Paige asked. Walter nodded.

"I know we talked about my EQ drop when we were alone once we got home, however, right now, something feels off inside me," Walter began. He was nervous talking about today's case. "It's not exactly like my EQ drop, but this feels like what happened on the island. On the island, I forced my EQ to drop for all of us to get off. Except, with what happened today, down in the mines, that wasn't a forced drop; it felt like a natural drop. You mentioned before that my EQ would keep moving forward, able to recover from a drop. However, with my IQ dropping naturally, I just," Walter paused mid-sentenced. It was like he couldn't finish his train of thought, which happens seldom. Paige was seeing where this conversation was going: "You feel like this will be difficult recovering from," Paige said finishing his sentence. She saw Walter staring at her with shock on his face. Her boyfriend nodded his head.

Walter turned towards his desk, placing his hands on the desk and head bowed down. He couldn't face Paige for what he would be saying. "Feeling my IQ drop without any internal interference, I don't know how I'll recover. I would prefer working on a small project; working on something for the lost time I had in the mine," he said in a whisper.

Paige was in shock. Hearing about the turmoil Walter is suffering from made her heart tighten in her chest. Besides saving people through Scorpion, his relationships with Ralph and herself, she knew that his intelligence was as important to him. Walter being smart was just one of the reasons Paige fell head over heels for him. She began walking toward her boyfreiend. She wrapped her arms around Walter's midsection and turned him around, so he was facing her. Then Paige held Walter's hands in hers before speaking. "Walter, it is good you told me what is going on," Paige said. "Except, I don't think you should be working too hard after today's case. All of us, including you need to rest after all the chaos we went through for this case. This may have been your first fit with your IQ; but like with your EQ, you will get it back and continue going in a forward direction" Paige saw Walter give a tight lip smile to her.

"Understood," Walter said while nodding his head. "But I still want to work on one task which I can test my brain. Plus, I don't think I'm ready for any music events right now."

Paige took in what Walter said. She was disappointed that she couldn't go see one of her favorite singers, but right now, there were more important dilemmas than a small concert. She thought about Walter just said and something clicked in her brain. Paige had an idea which would work for her and Walter. Relationships involved compromising with each other; she hoped her boyfriend would be up to this compromise. "Okay, no going out tonight," Paige stated. "We'll go back to the apartment and once Ralph's asleep…" she paused for a moment. Paige let go of Walter's hands and placed her hands on his shoulders. She then leaned up on her toes, moving her head so her mouth was near Walter's right ear. Paige then whispered into his ear, "I have a test just between the two of us. Let's see if that IQ of yours remembers what makes me feel good."

Paige rolled back so she was standing flat on her feet. What she saw next made her heart beating faster: Walter was grinning. _"He looks like the Cheshire Cat,"_ Paige thought to herself. Paige's lips were then captured by her boyfriend's lips. "Looking forward to this test," Walter said; that made Paige smile. The couple interlaced their hands and walked out the garage, both excited about a date that was unplanned and different than what they had expected for tonight.

**A.N. Think of your own Rated M story for what follows my story. I'm not ready for M rated stories. Don't forget, please leave a review!**


End file.
